


Gnome Man's Land

by Imanerdandliketoread



Series: Pinescone Week 2019 [2]
Category: Gravity Falls, Over the Garden Wall (Cartoon & Comics)
Genre: Fluff and Humor, Gnomes, Greg is smart, M/M, Non-Binary Wirt, Picnic, Soos is the owner of the Mystery shack and Mabes and Dipper are employees, this takes place like seven? years after the finale of gf
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-22
Updated: 2019-10-22
Packaged: 2020-12-28 00:30:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,145
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21127817
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Imanerdandliketoread/pseuds/Imanerdandliketoread
Summary: Wirt, the newest resident of Gravity Falls, fits in perfectly. All gangly limbs and dory sweaters, they stumbled, quite literally, into Dipper. After finally managing to ask them out, he made sure to plan for each and every possible thing that could go wrong during their picnic date. He didn't take into consideration reveals of unexpected family members and the discovery that he is dating royalty, but Dipper's gotten good at rolling with the punches when it comes to crazy.Follows the Day one Pinescone Week prompt picnic





	Gnome Man's Land

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! I had a fuckton of fun writing this! I'm really proud of this so hopefully, it's better than the first one. UUUUh, comments, questions, critiques adored, and hope you enjoy!
> 
> Ages! I should talk about the ages!  
Greg is 13  
Wirt is 22? yeah that seems right  
Dipper and Mabel are 19  
Let me know if you catch any mistakes! Ever since I spilled Brisk Tea with lemonade on it, the keys stick a lot, especially since the temperature is dropping finally.

**Picnic**

Dipper had been planning this for what felt like ages. Since the first day the new mysterious teenager had stumbled into Gravity Falls, leaves in their hair and a dorky cape on their back, Dipper had been head over heels crushing on Wirt. It didn't help that they were smart and artistic, and funny, and a little bit awkward and shy at first, but quickly switched into a snarkier attitude when they became more comfortable with their surroundings. 

Wirt was a strange sight for Dipper, as he and his sister had been the most recent semi-permanent guests in the past decade. Stumbling out of the woods to the side of the Mystery Shack, Wirt had wandered into a crowd of tourists being shown the  _ wonders of Gravity Falls _ . They had, almost immediately, and quite literally, stumbled into Dipper, who had been working on restocking the snow globe shelves. Dipper had to spend a good few minutes trying to talk the new stranger down from going into a full-blown panic.

When he finally did, his first thought was wondering if this new stranger was here to stay. "So, where are you from?" 

"Huh? Oh, uh west." West? What did 'west' mean? The forest? Could they be from as far as Corvallis? Their accent didn't suggest anything outside of the US, but he didn't want to rule anything out entirely. "I, uh, I just moved here. With my half-brother to live with my extended family. They're locals."

That piqued Dipper's interest. "Locals? Would I know them?"

Wirt stuttered. "Well, I suppose it isn't likely. They live in the woods more. A cabin! In the woods. Yep. The fancy thing too. They're rich relatives." Wirt's blush spread across their face and was creeping down their neck, the tips of their ears stained a bright red. Cute. 

Dipper was getting distracted. "That sounds nice. So you'll be staying for a while then? Would you maybe like me to show you around town if you aren't familiar enough?" 

Wirt's eyes lit up. "Oh, that would be lovely! Only if you aren't busy though, I would hate to distract you while you were working. Oh! My name is Wirt, by the way. I use they/them pronouns." They had grown softer by the end of the last sentence. Dipper thought it might be because they were shy about mentioning their pronouns, but he wasn't certain. 

Dipper smiled up at them. "I'm Dipper. He/him. It wouldn't be a problem at all. Let me just put these last few snow globes away and then I'll tell Soos and Mabel that I'm going on a lunch break." Wirt smiled back. 

"Sounds great. Maybe we can get lunch for real then? Since I'm using up your lunch break?" 

"Sounds great. I'll grab my wallet then." Dipper scooted the last two snow globes far back enough on the shelf that a frenzied child was less likely to knock it off before sneaking behind the register counter and grabbing his wallet from the personal items drawer. "Alrighty let's head out!" 

Dipper led Wirt down the main street, pointing out this and that and where to go for the best snacks and whatnot, before pointing at a medium-sized, log-shaped building. "And this is Greasy' s Diner! The most diner-y diner in all of Gravity Falls. It has… food? I guess? It's not the best, but it's like the only option in town and it's fresh. Somewhat." 

Then, Wirt shocked Dipper by letting out the most adorable, squeaky, high pitched giggling he had ever heard. Oh boy, he was doomed. If he thought he had fallen for Wendy fast, Dipper had another thing coming when it came to Wirt. He could already see Mabel planning their wedding. Oh no, now  _ he _ was thinking about their wedding. There would be flowers. And maybe a glitter cannon that is solely of Mabel's making and it would rain from above and get caught in Wirt's hair and their eyes would reflect the summer sunset beautifully and—oh no, Wirt said something. Dipper was so zoned out staring at Wirt that he missed when they asked him a question. "Huh?"

"I was just wondering if you had any recommendations. Foods to stay away from, things I should try, that kind of stuff." 

"Oh! I can help you there. So the pancakes are pretty good, but I would stay away from the coffee, it can get kinda old. And you should probably be wary of the fruits, except for the cherries and apples and maybe the kiwi, if you like that terrible excuse for a fruit. They're all grown more locally, so they taste fresher." 

As the pair wandered inside, Dipper continued with his list of recommendations, skillfully compiled from seven years of experience trying out the local cuisine. Wirt seemed to hang onto every single word, they stared intently at Dipper as he spoke. 

Dipper eventually ran out of food-related topics and as their food arrived, he switched to explaining the weirder side of Gravity Falls. "If you stay here for more than a week, I feel like I'm kind of obligated to explain what you're getting yourself into by hanging around. Gravity Falls, on a good day, is unusual. Do you believe in the paranormal? The supernatural? The weird, sometimes spooky things that cause mischief and distort your understanding of reality?" He wiggled his fingers dramatically.

Wirt paled, hesitating to answer before replying with a shaky "I suppose it seems foolish to limit the world to what humans normally perceive. I guess… less than normal things could occur." 

Dipper grinned crookedly. "Well, that'll make things a lot easier then! Gravity Falls is  _ filled _ with strange things: a Summerween spirit, a horde of gnomes trying to get your sister to marry them and become their queen," at this, Wirt choked on their water. "I know right? It's crazy! And that isn't even the weirdest thing to happen! In my first summer visiting, I summoned a horde of zombies, defeated an all-powerful dream demon,  _ twice _ , and managed to almost single-handedly become the downfall of a mind erasing cult! Gravity Falls is chock full of freaky stuff!" 

"Oh jeez, you're alright though? That seems stressful. I don't think I would have been able to handle it." 

"Yeah, I'm fine, only have a few nightmares anymore." Dipper smiled sardonically. "The best part is getting to know so much more about how this mysterious side of the world works. It can be amazing if you're willing to wait for the good parts. Like the friends you can make, the sights you see, that kind of stuff. It's worth it." Dipper looks at Wirt. "Oh jeez, I've been going on and on about Gravity Falls and me, but I haven't asked about you. Are you glad that you moved or were you reluctant to move?" 

Wirt sighed, their fingers flicking over the curve of their fork in slow, repeated movements. “I,” they paused. “It’s not like I don’t miss home, but I just,” they sighed deeply, shrugging. “I’m not comfortable there anymore. Something bad happened a few years ago and it still bothers me. I pass the hospital or the graveyard and all I can think about is the fact that I almost got me and Greg killed. When my mom got a letter from some cousin of my dad’s offering to let Greg and me stay with them, Greg was the first one encouraging me to accept the offer. So I did and now I’m here.”

“Greg is your half-brother, right? He seems pretty great if he encouraged you to go get out of a place that made you uncomfortable. My sister, Mabel, and I haven’t always gotten along but I’ve found that traumatic experiences tend to bring a family closer together.”

“Heh, yeah they do seem to do that. Before Greg and I fell into the river, I was a horrible sibling! I hated Greg, solely because after my dad died, my mom remarried and had another kid. I had convinced myself that she was trying to replace us, which I know now is dumb, but I was just a kid. And after I got us into the mess with the Unknown and almost dying twice, I realized that he was just a kid! A kid who loved his sibling and just wanted them to be happy!” Wirt looked up, making eye contact with Dipper before they glanced away. 

Before they could say anything else, Dipper blurted out ‘What's the Unknown? Sounds mysterious.”

Wirt blinked twice, staring blankly at Dipper. “Oh, I wasn’t boring you?”

Dipper’s eyes widened as his jaw dropped. “Bored? This is the most interesting conversation I’ve had since my great uncle Ford was in town! And he’s been out of the country for almost six months! Not to be rude, but most of the people who live here can be dull if they aren’t complaining about a paranormal occurrence.”

“That’s good then. Well, the Unknown is this kind of hidden world I guess? Time passes differently, and it’s gigantic, and there is—or was? I think we might’ve killed him?—the Beast, who follows lost souls in the woods in an attempt to turn them into trees to fuel his oil lantern that lights his soul or something. I didn’t stop to ask him about the specifics.” 

“Holy shit! And you made it out fine? That’s crazy! You just casually faced a malevolent forest spirit, escaped a parallel world, and saved your brother? And as your, what, first experience with the paranormal? That’s amazing!” By this point, Dipper was drawing the attention of other customers as he flung his arms in the air and shouted. “Hah, oops. I was getting a little loud there, huh? I’ll be quieter now.”

Wirt giggled softly, their nose wrinkling. If talking to Wirt continues to be this spectacular, Dipper thinks, then he might be fucked. 

Wirt continued to be amazing and Dipper’s crush grew every day. Wirt would often visit with Dipper during his breaks and when he wasn’t working, the two of them would often go on walks and talk. Wirt was excited to learn about Gravity Falls’ mysteries, once commenting that it was interesting, as long as they weren’t in any danger. Wirt introduced Dipper to Greg and Dipper introduced the siblings to Mabel. Greg and Mabel became fast friends, playing games, telling stories, and causing trouble. 

One day, several weeks after being introduced to Greg, the young teen cornered Dipper as we worked the counter. “Hello, Little Dipper! May I ask you some questions about my splendid sibling?” 

Dipper was startled. He and Greg didn't often talk, as he preferred to spend time with Wirt and whenever Greg was around, Mabel was quick to scoop him up to mess around. "What's up Greg? Hit me with your questions, little dude." 

"Are you in love with Wirt?" If Dipper had a drink, he would be choking on it. Has he done anything to give his crush away like that? Or is Greg just really observant?

"I mean, I love them. They're my best friend. What—why would you ask that?" Was his voice too high? He thought his voice might be too high. 

"Well, I've seen the way you look at them, and I know that they like you like that. A lot of their poetry revolves around forests of pine and it sounds a lot more lovey-dovey than usual. It reminds me of when he had a crush on Sara when we were younger. And I know that you spend a lot of time with them—more than you spend with anyone else nowadays. Mabel told me so." Dipper was going to have a serious talk with Mabel about her involvement in his love life. "So, are you in love with Wirt?" He looks up at Dipper, one eyebrow raised. 

Dipper broke eye contact and muttered "It's not really any of your business, but—wait did you say that they feel the same way? Did they like, ever explicitly tell you or is it all just an assumption based on the poetry? Also, they wrote poetry about me? Are you certain it was about me because they could be talking about the forest? Hell, they could be talking about Mabel. She's a Pines too!"

"The same way? Oh Little Dipper, you've perjured yourself. Admitted to the crime! You love Wirt! Wirt loves you! Are you going to ask them out? If you are, I recommend something special for the first date. They went on a date with Sara before they realized they were better off as friends and she took them to the movies and they did not react well to that. They told me afterward that even though movies are fun sometimes, they don't like going because there are too many social obligations. You can't laugh too loud, or cough, or sneeze! I think they worry too much, but sometimes their worrying pays off, like in the Unknown! But, that's beside the point! If you want to impress Wirt on the first date, you should probably stick to something low-key or more private, like a picnic or a trip to Greasy's! They'd love that!"

Dipper had to admit, Greg's ability to be so enthusiastic about anything he talks about made him feel more hopeful about the situation. Maybe the glitter-wedding of his dreams could become a reality. But Dipper was thinking ahead; he has to plan the first date before he can  _ really _ consider marrying Wirt. Greg would have to be his new confidante in his planning if he wanted this to go perfectly. "You think they would like a picnic? If I took them out to a gorgeous place in the forest and we had lunch out there?" 

"Oh, absolutely Little Dipper! You should bring age-appropriate drinks, like sparkling cider and water! Even if Wirt liked the taste of alcohol, they would get upset if you drank! You've got a couple more months to go till you can drink!"

Age-appropriate drinks? Where'd he get that from, a school presentation on bad teen habits? "Uh, alright then. Age-appropriate drinks. And sandwiches? What about desserts? Should I team up with Mabel to make fancy snacks? Should I bring any books or games? Does Wirt like puzzles? No, of course, they don't, they're too time-cons—" 

"Whoa, slow down! Don't over-think this Dipper, Wirt'll love anything you do! Just make sure nothing horrible happens and you'll be fine, I promise! Wirt's head-over-heels for you, you could give them a wet sock and they'd hang it in a picture frame!" Greg giggled, assumedly at the image of a frames wet sock. Dipper had to admit, it was a rather amusing thought. 

"You think it'll go that well? Thanks, little dude, I'll get to planning."

Greg sighed. "Dipper! You're forgetting the most important ingredient! Asking Wirt!" He poked Dipper in the arm. "Even though I'm  _ certain _ that they will say yes, you can't plan this without knowing when or where it'll be!" 

The kid had a point. Dipper would have to ask before planning their date out fully. But when would be a good time to ask? It's not like Wirt would stumble through the door anytime soon and—

The front door of the Shack burst open as Wirt almost fell, apologizing as they did. Greg threw a look over his shoulder at Dipper, one that screamed  _ this is your moment ask them now _ , before shouting hello and goodbye at Wirt and Dipper and skipping out of the Shack. 

Wirt lifted a hand in greeting, mumbling a quick "Hi Dipper. How are you doing?" 

"Would you like to go on a date with me?" Oh shit, why did he blurt that out? "Uh, I mean, only if you want to?"

Wirt's eyes widened and they took a step back. "Wh—yo—really?" Their voice raised in pitch with each syllable. "Are you serious?" 

Dipper glanced around the Shack, unable to meet Wirt's inquisitive gaze. Doing so, he spotted Greg grinning at him from outside, giving him a thumbs-up as encouragement. "Well, yeah? I really like you, and I thought maybe we could go on a picnic in the forest… if you wanted." 

Their lips twitched into a smile. "That would be lovely, I'd love to Dipper." They stepped closer, stopping a foot away from Dipper. "I know you don't have to work on Saturday, maybe we can go then. I have the perfect blanket for this, I can't wait to use it." 

Dipper wanted to hold their hand. It would be so easy to. "Saturday sounds perfect, I can't wait." 

Then, smiling, Wirt slipped their fingers into Dipper's, whispering "I hope this isn't too forward of me," before leaving down and kissing Dipper's cheek. "I suppose I'll see you then, darling." They slowly released Dipper's hands, walking backward and lifting their hand as they departed, cheeks dusted pink. 

Dipper lifted his fingers to the spot where Wirt kissed him, repeating "Darling" to himself. 

Several moments later, he was shocked from his stupor by a tap on the shoulder, Mabel's voice breaking the silence. "Brobro, Whatcha doing? Was that Wirt? Was Greg here?"

Dipper excitedly grabbed her shoulders, shaking her. "I asked them out! We're going on a date this Saturday! Mabel, what am I going to wear?" 

She screeched before squeezing Dipper with all her might. "It's happening! My little brobro is going on a date like a serious adult! How many steps did it take you? I bet it didn't take too many since you're not eighty yet!" 

"Ha ha. Joke's on you, I didn't even think of a plan before asking. Just blurted it out. Like an idiot. Coulda went terribly. It didn't though, so that's a plus. They kissed me, Mabel. On the cheek! And called me darling! I just about melted on the spot." 

"They called you darling? I'm planning your wedding! There will be a glitter cannon! A karaoke machine, strobe lights!"

The twins continued to chat about Wirt, weddings, and date planning for the rest of the day. By nightfall, Dipper had a solid plan for what he would bring for snacks (chips and sandwiches), where they would go (near the growing crystals, but not too close), and what game he would bring (scrabble). He was certain that this would be the best date he had ever been on. 

Saturday morning came and Dipper woke up early to run out and buy a basket. He made ham, turkey, and veggie sandwiches, and packed the pumpkin-shaped pumpkin bread that Mabel had helped him bake the night before. By the time everything was ready, it was noon and Wirt was scheduled to arrive at any moment. 

A soft knock sounded, followed by the creak of the door opening and a light "Hello, it's me, Wirt." Dipper did the best he could to not sprint over to the door like an excited puppy, but he did not think he was very successful, as Wirt chuckled when Dipper almost slipped on a hallway rug. 

Righting himself, Dipper wiggled the basket at his side. "All packed and ready to go. Shall we depart?" He held an elbow out in offering, making Wirt snicker. 

They linked their elbow in Dipper's. "We shall, darling." They chimed, with a silly, lilting accent. 

The trip to the picnic spot was a small hike, long enough that Wirt was unfamiliar with the area but close enough that neither got tired. After setting up, Dipper presented the six different flavors of sparkling cider he brought. 

"Dipper, were you planning on drinking a lot of cider or did you just not think to ask what kind I like?" 

"Maybe I'm just a big fan of sparkling ciders. You don't know, I could be a cider aficionado. I'm not, but I could be. Don't kill my dreams, kitten."

Wirt spluttered. "Kitten? What? No, that's bad."

"Yeah, you called me darling—which I really like, by the way!—and I wanted to try something out. I can cross that off the list I suppose." Dipper grimaced.

They snacked on sandwiches for a while, discussing benign topics and playing i-spy. After the sandwiches were gone, Dipper began setting up Scrabble. 

Just as they had begun to play, a cry echoed through the trees. "Get him!" Dipper was then tackled to the ground by several small bodies, tying up his limbs. 

Wirt scrambled to his feet, pulling at the ropes and shouting "No! Guys, stop! What are you doing? Jeff, what the fuck!"

Wirt swearing startled both Dipper and his attackers so much that everyone froze. Dipper used the lack of movement to observe his attackers. Dozens of gnomes had spread across the small clearing, more peering through the forest surrounding them. 

Gnomes. Why is it always gnomes? Did Wirt just call Jeff by his name? That means that he must know the gnomes, but how?

Jeff, the slimy little bastard, crawled off of Dipper's chest, turning to address Wirt. "Prin Wirt! Why we were just rescuing you from this evil mastermind! We have been observing you for the past few hours, waiting to see if he did anything to harm you! Although we could not tell if those sandwiches were poisoned—which they likely were—we knew he had to be stopped when he pulled out that torture device! Your Highness, we know you disapprove of violence but we did it to protect you!"

"What the fuck Jeff! We are on a date! We ate perfectly normal sandwiches on a perfectly normal outing and we were going to play a perfectly normal game of Scrabble because both of us are nerds! I like him and if you fucked this up for me there will be serious repercussions!" 

Dipper was an even mix of confused and concerned. He didn't think it was normal for a human to talk that fast without taking a breath. "Your Highness? Wirt, you didn't tell me you know these guys. What's going on?"

Panicked, Wirt looked around, taking in the situation before facing Dipper and Jeff once again. "I will not be explaining anything until everyone is untied, unharmed, and listening to me!" When no one moved, they shouted "Well? Get moving!"

Jumping into action, the gnomes scrambled over each other in their haste to untie Dipper. When he was freed, he rushed to his feet. Wirt then cleared their throat, gaining everyone's attention once again. "Alright. I owe everyone an explanation. Dipper, my birth father was the half-brother of the King of the Gnomes. His passing does not affect us until my half-uncle contracted a horrible disease. As he had declared no heir, and Greg and I are his only living relatives, we are the next in line for the throne. A few months ago, Jeff, the advisor to the old King, contacted my mother, explaining the situation to her. He offered us a place to stay as well as monthly payments in silver and paid-for visits to see us if she agreed to send us to Oregon. She, reluctantly and with lots of prodding from Greg, agreed. Greg and I, in a weird way, are royalty. When I turn twenty-five, I will be crowned the next monarch of the gnome kingdom of this forest." They turned to look at Jeff directly. "And Jeff, I have decided to pursue a romantic relationship with someone I care about and I would appreciate it if neither parties would allow any negative experiences from the past affect our relationship."

Dipper smiled awkwardly at Wirt. "While this is a lot to process, I promise that this will not affect how I treat you. I like you, and a distant relation to a bunch of losers isn't going to change that." Wirt raised their eyebrows at Dipper, who pursed his lips in response. "Fine. Gnomes. Distant relation to a bunch of gnomes." Dipper flopped onto the floor, sitting cross-legged on the edge of Wirt's picnic blanket. 

It took a lot of repeating information and debating, but after a while, both the gnomes and Dipper were on the same page: if they wanted to stay in Wirt’s good graces, fighting was not allowed. The gnomes took longer to convince, but Dipper was the most hesitant. It was still hard for him to forgive the people who kidnapped his sister, even after seven years. But he lo—liked Wirt, and compromises  _ were _ important to developing strong relationships so he supposed that he needed to see the situation from Wirt’s perspective. If not for the gnomes, Wirt wouldn’t be in Gravity Falls, to begin with, so the gnomes can’t be that bad. 

The walk back to the Shack was quieter than Dipper had expected it to be. Stopping by the edge of the forest, Dipper offered to make it up to Wirt, promising that their next date will go better. Wirt stopped walking. “Wait, you wanna go on another date?”

Dipper walked back to meet them. “Uh, yeah? I mean, just because you have some weird family members, doesn’t mean I don’t like you anymore. Besides, I know  _ all _ about having crazy family members. Do you not remember meeting Mabel? And my Grunkles are even weirder! Before I was tackled to the floor by gnomes, we were having a great time. At least, I thought we were.”

“I thought so too. I’m also pretty disappointed that we never did get to play Scrabble.” Dipper followed the movement of their hand as it slowly approached Dipper’s face. They softly smiled as they pulled a small branch with a single leaf attached out of his hair. “You got a little something there. I am so sorry that our first date was interrupted so awkwardly.”

“Well, sometimes things happen that we can’t predict, you know? And maybe you can come over and we can play Scrabble. If you want.”

Wirt faced the edge of the woods, grabbed Dipper’s hand, and whispered “That would be lovely darling. Let’s go.”

Wirt won that game of Scrabble, but Dipper argued that they only won because they kept flustering him by calling him sweetheart and darling.

  
  
  


Dipper, dressed in his finest suit and cleanest pair of mismatched socks, sat anxiously in the front row of lawn chairs set up in the woods. He shifted in his seat, already uncomfortable despite only having sat down three minutes ago. Mabe was quick to smack his shoulder. “Dipper!” she whisper-shouted. “This is a fancy engagement! I know that this is something serious for you and Wirt, but at least attempt being the calmest one between the two of you. You know Wirt is probably trying to sweat right out of their coronation outfit!”

Right as Dipper opened his mouth to retaliate, the band picked up the intensity of their playing and a spotlight illuminated the front of the clearing. Through a curtain of flower dotted hanging vines, Wirt stepped out. Dressed in a longsleeved forest green button-up with suspenders attached to a floor-length sleek black skirt with a lacy floral pattern, Wirt looked gorgeous. Their hair was grown out to their ears and curled and their shoes shined in the sunlight. 

An important-looking gnome stepped forward, giving a speech about the proper duties of a monarch and Wirt’s role in fulfilling those, but Dipper paid little attention to the specifics; all of his attention was focused on Wirt. It was obvious, to Dipper at least, that they weren’t paying as much attention as they should have either, their eyes never leaving Dipper. 

Eventually, Wirt had to break eye contact as they kneeled down to allow the ceremonial gnome to delicately place a daisy chain flower crown atop their curls. Gently standing up, Wirt smiled at their audience of family and friends raucously applauding.

As the guest stood to move to the long table with a massive feast prepared, Dipper meandered, waiting for Wirt. They caught up, entwining their fingers with Dipper’s, an action familiar to both of them. “You did it. I cannot believe that I am dating the Monarch of the Gnome Kingdom and  _ the _ most talented poet I have ever had the luck to meet.”

Wirt chuckled, swinging their clasped hands back and forth lazily. “Darling, stop being so dramatic. You live in Gravity Falls, weirdness capital, the harbinger of odd. This was practically inevitable.” They stood at the head of the long table with Dipper and Mabel on either side of them, bowed their head, and pulled out their seat, signaling that the guests could now sit. As soon as the last person was seated, the frantic sound of silverware cluttering and glasses clinking filled the air. 

Dipper chatted excitedly with Mabel and Wirt, that latter of whom was occasionally interrupted to be congratulated by a guest. They would stutter out a thank you and awkwardly smile, and Dipper fell a little more in love each time. A quick glance in Mabel’s direction showed that she noticed Dipper’s lovestruck gazing. She smirked at Dipper, mouthing “You should propose” before wiggling her hand and pointing at her ring finger. Her theatrics drew Wirt’s attention and Dipper jumped in before they could question her behavior. 

“So butterfly, what do you want to do to celebrate when we get home?” Home, the apartment he and Wirt shared, had quickly become a familiar aspect of their lives. Dipper had asked Wirt to move in with him on the first anniversary of their first date, but the two of them quickly outgrew the Mystery Shack’s small attic. They decided to move into their own place after a year and a half. 

“Butterfly? That’s a new one. I was thinking that we could open up that bottle of white grape cider I know you’ve been hiding and we can snuggle on the couch and watch a musical. What say you darling?” Wirt reached over and stole a forkful of mashed potatoes off of Dipper’s plate, earning a grumble of complaint. 

“Hey, how’d you know? I hid it in that cabinet you never look in! And I say that snuggles and musicals sound great. If you want to know, I came up with butterfly because you are the Monarch! Like monarch butterflies? I don’t know, it just felt like it fit. I can try to come up with another one if you don’t like it.” Dipper hid his face in his hands, not wanting to see Wirt’s reaction. 

Wirt gently tugged at his hands. “Dipper, I love it. I love how much thought you put into it, I love how sweet it is, I love how poetic that is. I love you darling, so I would appreciate it if you would uncover your face so that I can kiss it,” they said softly. 

Well, how could anyone say no to that?

**Author's Note:**

> Hi. You can find me on Tumblr at endoftheworldpaul. Bye.  
PS Thank you, Hannah, for encouraging me at every step of the way when I worked on this! You're the best!


End file.
